Waterproof burial vault



M ATTORNEY.:

f ffl f7 z f S INVENTOR F. J. MEA-D WATERPROOF BURIAL VAULT Filed Feb.17, 1934 April 2l, 1936.

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE WATERPROOF BURIAL VAULT Fred J.Mead, orange, N. J., signor to Mead- Suydam Company, Orange, N. J., acorporation of New Jersey Application February 17, 1934, Serial No.'711,631

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a water-proof burial vault that is made uplargely of concrete, the concrete itself not being necessarilywater-proof. The vault has a cover which is also water-proof and when itis placed upon the body portion of the vault a water-proof joint or sealautomatically results.

In carrying out this invention a layer of waterproof material isinterposed between the outer and inner surfaces of the body and cover ofthe burial vault in such a way that the water-proof layer is continuouson all six sides without any perforations or openings therethrough andwithout any crack or aperture through which water could gain access tothe inside of the vault when the cover'is in place.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection withthe accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a. side view of anillustrative embodiment of the invention partly in section; Fig. 2 is asection along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is asection similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification, but partly broken awayand with the cover spaced from the body portion of the vault and Fig. 4is a section similar to Fig. 3 on a still larger scale through a cornershowing the cover in place.

The body portion of the vault comprises an inner box I of concrete,which may be reinforced, as indicated at 2, and an outer box 3 ofconcrete, which may be reinforced, as indicated at 4. A layer 5 ofwater-proof material is interposed between the boxes I and 2. Thiswaterproofing inaterial should be of such a character that it isadhesive and does not become brittle, but stays plastic. Bituminousmaterial, such as asphalt, or residues resulting from distillingpetroleum oils or 'coal tar products are suitable for this purpose.

In installing the water-proof layer 5 between the boxes, the concretebox I may be made in forms in the usual way and permitted to harden. Theforms are removed, the layer 5 of Waterproofing material is applied inany convenient way, as by a brush or spraying, for example. Or thebituminous material may be applied by setting up molds of somewhatlarger size around this box I and pouring hot bituminous material intothe spaces and permitting it to cool and harden. After the bituminouslayer 5 has been applied, forms for concrete are put in .place spacedfrom the layer 5 and the concrete to form the box 2 is poured in andpermitted to harden. The layer 5 of bituminous material is preferably1A; to 1A of an inch thick, and this material is of such a character orconsistency that it does not become brittle but remains pliable, so thateven if the concrete cracks this bituminous layer remains intact.

The cover for the vault comprises a lower section I of concrete, whichis preferably reinforced, as indicated at 8. This section l is alsopreferably 5 provided with transverse metal bars 9 which pass along nearthe lower surface of the section l and have their ends bent upwardly, asindicated at I0, so that the lower surfaces of the ends I0 are flushwith the corresponding portions of the lower surlo faces at oppositeedges of the section 1. The section I has the lower surface inwardly ofits edges projecting downwardly, as indicated at I I, so that thisportion extends slightly into the vault when the cover is in place. 15

'I'he cover also comprises a layer of waterproofing material I2 that maybe of the same sort of material as the layer 5.l 'I'he layer I2 extendsall over the top side of the section l and along all four edges and ispreferably of the same thick- 20 ness as the layer 5. 'I'he width andlength of the section l of the cover are the same as the outside lengthand width of the box I so that the exposed edges of the layers 5 and I2come into contact with each other all the way around when the 25 coveris put in place. Since the material forming the layers 5 and I2 isplastic and sticky or adherent, the contacting edges of these layersadhere or flow together and make a water-proof joint when the cover isput in place. 30

The cover also comprises a. section I3 of concrete that is preferablyreinforced, as indicated at I4. The section I3 extends over the top sideand along` the edges of the layer I2, thus -providing a fiange I5 aroundall four sides. The cover may 35 be made in a. manner similar t'o theWay the body p ortion of the vault is made as described above. Ametallic ring I6 extends all the way around the outer edge of the flangeI5. The flange I5 is preferably of the same thickness as the walls'ofthe box 3 and the lower edge of the ring I6 extends below the lower edgeof the ange I5 so that this ring I6 overlaps the outer upper sides andends of the box 3 when the cover is in place.

When the cover is in place the ends of the metal bars 9 rest upon theupper edges of the side walls of the box I and avoid the danger of theextending portion II of the concrete falling into the vault.

In the modication shown in Figs. 3 vand 4 a layer of water-proofingmaterial I8, preferably of the same material as the layers 5 and I2, ispoured into the groove between the inner surface of the ring I6 and thesloping edges of the extension II. 'I'his is done while the material ishot 55 and the cover is upside down. 'I'he water-proofing material I8 ispermitted to cool and set. In this modification a V-shaped groove I9 isleft above the exposed edges of the layer 5 of waterproofing materialand when the cover is put in place some of the excess material in thelayer I8 of water-proofing material flows into the groove I 9 and fillsit and becomes sealed with the upper edges of the layer 5, as shown inFig. 4.

The water-proofing material used in this invention preferably hassufiicient adherence and strength so that when installed as describedabove the portions on opposite sides of this waterproofing material areheld together with suflicient strength or firmness to avoidthe danger ofthe same becoming separated even when no direct attachment is providedbetween these parts except this water-proofing material.

I claim:

1. In a burial vault, an inner box of concrete, an outer box of concretespaced therefrom, a layer of bituminous material in the space betweensaid boxes, and a removable cover for said vault having a thin layer ofbitumin extending through the body portion of said cover with downwardlyextending narrow edges terminating in flattened portions which contactwith the edges of said first 'named layer of bituminous material.

2. In a burial vault, an inner box of concrete, an outer box of concretespaced therefrom, a layer of bituminous material in the space betweensaid boxes, and a. removable cover for said vault, comprising two layersof concrete with a, layer oi bitumin between them, the edges of saidlayers of bituminous material being adapted to contact when said coveris in place, the edges of the bituminous material in the cover beingspread out laterally.

3. In a burial vault, an inner box of concrete, an outer box of concretespaced therefrom, a layer of bituminous material in the space betweensaid boxes, and a removable cover for said vault, comprising two layersof concrete with a layerof bitumin between them, the edges of saidlayers of bituminous material being adapted to contact when said coveris in place, the edges of the bituminous material in the cover beingspread out laterally and the edges of the bituminous material in saidvault being in a groove.

FRED J. MEAD.

